A social media post by Arnold Cassola shows the dramatic change with before and after photos of said square. It is as yet unknown as to why the trees were removed.

The issue surrounding the uprooting of trees has been at the centre of conversation, after plans for the Central Malta Link project showed the removal and relocation of a number of trees. 

This is not the only area where government has been getting hit in terms of tree removal. Another incident saw government uproot some 24 trees for the Luqa Road (Santa Lucijia) project, however government said that it will plant a hundred trees to make up for it.

Another controversy also arose when it was revealed that a few trees in Balzan will also be removed over the Triq il-Wied re-alignment, and that the council said that the trees will be replanted elsewhere as their roots are currently damaging road infrastructure.

Photos below show the square before and after the trees were chopped